Chapter 179 – Melissa’S Heart
“……Ugh.”
At my words, Melissa slightly frowned and bit her lower lip.
“Okay, I understand. But… before we talk, wouldn’t you want to wash up?”
“Ah, right.”
Indeed, my semen was still on Melissa’s thigh.
If she lowered her skirt like this, the semen would get all over it.
Melissa and I took off our shoes and dipped our feet in the river, washing our bodies.
I reached into my inventory and took out the cloth wrapping the lunch box Miranda had packed, using it to wipe Melissa’s legs.
“Haa…….”
Just as I finished wiping her legs, Melissa covered her face with both hands and sighed.
“What… what is this? Until just now, I was… even though I was so happy and felt so good that I didn’t care about anything, this isn’t right… It’s completely different from my usual self. What is it? Is it that thing? That people change when they fall in love?
Asking you to see all my embarrassing moments, asking you to call me cute more… I’m not usually like that. My face has always been like this, not that my personality is twisted, but I wasn’t the type to say those things… my personality wasn’t that different…”
Having regained her composure while washing, Melissa seemed to be feeling self-loathing about her actions while we were intimate.
“I’m so embarrassed… I’m completely like a girl in love. Is it like, the power of love is great or something? Aah… I’m so embarrassed just saying it myself…”
If I left her like this, Melissa would probably keep scolding herself.
“Melissa.”
“Ah, Rent… Aaaah…!”
Melissa reacted to my voice, looked at me, then covered her face with both hands again and let out a small scream.
“Even though it’s complicated, I said embarrassing things to myself with Rent right here…!”
You’ve already done it several times, so isn’t it okay?
I can’t say that.
“Melissa.”
When I called her again, Melissa lifted her face and looked at me with a slightly sad expression.
“……Haa. Yes, I know. You have something to say. I’m… already prepared, so say it, Rent.”
Melissa said with a resigned look.
“It’s probably… even though you said you liked me, you can’t accept my feelings in the end. You have to leave with your companions, so we can’t date, right?
I know, this was just me doing it out of desperation, hoping to at least have a memory.
Besides, you said you come back regularly, so I think I can endure a little longer.
No, actually, I should completely let go of my feelings, but I don’t think I can right now. If you tell me to let go… well, I’ll try, but it’ll probably hurt a lot… but I’ll try.
If it’s okay with you… you can think of me as a woman you can enjoy when you come to the village. Like a prostitute, if you think of it that way and want to do it with me when you come…
Haa, sorry, I know I’m saying stupid things, right? But… but this is the first time my heart has ever raced like this, and my first experience was… and it was the first time it felt so good… Actually, I tried to let go, but it feels like it’s become even harder… that…
Ah… really… was I really this easy… and full of regrets…”
As she spoke rapidly, Melissa’s voice became increasingly tearful.
Soon, tears welled up in Melissa’s eyes, and she wiped them away with her palm.
But Melissa’s tears didn’t stop.
“Melissa…….”
I reached out and wiped Melissa’s tears with my thumb.
“Rent… sorry, please stop. If you do this, it’ll be harder to… let go…”
“Melissa, no. That’s not what I’m going to say.”
“What? Then what are you going to talk about…”
“Hmm, honestly, this is something I haven’t even told my parents yet…”
“Something you haven’t told your parents?”
Melissa stopped crying and looked at me, surprised by my words, which were different from what she had imagined.
“That’s… actually…”
I told Melissa the story I had decided to bring up during sex.
◈
“What!?”
When I finished, Melissa’s eyes widened in shock.
“So, what you’re saying is… you don’t just have feelings for one of your three companions… you’re dating all of them?! And all three of them accept it, and not only that, but you have two more lovers in the city!?”
“U, uh…”
“……Haaaaaa.”
Melissa let out a long sigh.
“Melissa?”
“Rent… I think I’m being incredibly pathetic right now.”
“Huh? Why?”
Melissa squeezed her hair tightly and turned her gaze away from me.
“I’m incredibly dissatisfied and angry that Rent, contrary to my expectations, is a playboy harem guy who has made several women his own…
But if he’s building a harem… a possibility that I, I too… could date Rent comes to mind, and I’m happy about it, which makes me feel so pathetic.”
Hearing those words made my heart flutter.
“Melissa…”
“Hey, Rent… why did you tell me now… something you haven’t even told your parents yet?”
“That’s…”
I held Melissa’s hand, which was gripping her hair, tightly with both of mine.
“I was really happy that you liked me, Melissa. And I didn’t want to leave you like that after seeing you cry. And since we’ve already had sex… I want to take responsibility for you too, Melissa.
So, if it’s okay with you, Melissa…”
“You idiot.”
Melissa said to me with teary eyes and a bright red face.
“I’m so full of regrets and worries… how could I possibly refuse after hearing those words from you…?
“Melissa…”
“Haa, the person I like is an enemy of the women who built this harem… but haha, just thinking that I can date you even if I have to join the harem… just thinking that I can be loved by you makes me happy… I’m hopeless…”
Melissa held my hand with her other hand and cried…
“Really… it’s true that the one who falls in love loses…”
She smiled a very beautiful smile, like a flower.
◈
Walking through the forest, Melissa and I were returning to Shima’s Inn.
“So… what are you going to do?”
“What do you mean, what am I going to do?”
“How are you going to explain it to your companions… your harem members?”
“They’ll understand if I tell them.”
Actually, everyone accepted it with Ninya.
…Of course, that doesn’t mean I can just keep adding to it as I please.
“Understand? Wouldn’t they normally be strongly opposed? Or is it because they’re the kind of people who can understand that you were able to build a harem? Huh? …I don’t know. Honestly, I could tell they were all good people when I saw them at lunch yesterday… but I haven’t really talked to them.”
“Then let’s go talk to them. I’ll be there with you.”
“Of course. It doesn’t make sense to leave me alone to say I want to date you to three harem members.”
“Yeah. Hey, Melissa.”
“Why?”
“Are you going to keep hugging my arm like this?”
Melissa was walking with her arm tightly around mine.
Even though Melissa’s breasts are about a B cup, being this close is enough to make me feel soft and happy.
“……I’ll only do this until we get out of the forest. Honestly, I’m scared to go meet your companions, you know? They’re adventurers, and I’m just an ordinary villager. If they get angry and call me a stray cat, I’ll be helpless.”
“……They’re not like that.”
Rather, Ninya and Noah would probably ask me with curious eyes why they like me.
Elsie… even if she accepts it, she’ll probably have a crying face.
I’ll make sure to comfort Elsie later.
“B, but you never know a woman’s heart, right? Especially when it comes to matters of the opposite sex, they might change completely. It was written in a book.”
Isn’t that from those romance novels that women read?
No, it’s a credible statement.
But I was sure that wouldn’t happen with my lovely lovers.
“And… R, Rent, you do want to date me, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re answering right away…!? Ugh, really… Then, for now, we’re dating on a temporary basis, right? So… even if it’s temporary… I want to be like this with you.
Aah, really. I’m going crazy because I’m only thinking like a girl in love when it comes to you! I’m talking to myself again even when you’re right here!”
I think Melissa is incredibly cute like that.
As we left the forest, Melissa let go of my arm with a regretful expression.
And we arrived at Shima’s Inn.
“Ah, w, welcome back, Rent. Huh? Melissa?”
When we entered the inn, Shima greeted us and tilted his head, looking at Melissa next to me.
“Hello, Shima…”
“Ah, Rent! Welcome back!”
“Welcome back, Rent.”
“Hehe, did you have a good walk?”
Noah, Elsie, and Ninya were already downstairs, sitting at a table.
“Noah, Elsie, are you over your hangovers?”
“Ah~ I’m fine! Yeah, I guess it’s because I’ve leveled up, I’m completely fine! Well… I feel a little dizzy, but it’s not too bad!”
“I’m fine too.”
“Oh my, aren’t you worried about me?”
“I thought you’d be fine, Ninya.”
“Hehe, that kind of trust isn’t bad. But who’s that girl next to you…”
“That’s Melissa. You saw her yesterday, right?”
Melissa bowed her head to the three of them.
“Ah, hello…”
“Ah, she’s the one who was in the center of the girls yesterday, right?”
“Yes…”
Melissa was very awkward in front of the three of them.
She had been touching her hair since earlier.
It seems that Melissa has a habit of touching her hair when she’s nervous or embarrassed.
“Heehee~ I see.”
Noah was grinning mischievously as he looked at Melissa.
Could it be… did she figure it out right away like with Ninya?
Noah smiled brightly and spoke to Melissa.
“Hey, Melissa, was it?”
“Y, yes!”
“Ahaha, why are you so nervous? You’re the same age as Rent, right?”
“Yes…”
“Then we’re the same age! Speak casually! Oh, did you have breakfast?”
“No… ah, no…”
“Really? Then how about we eat together? Elsie and Ninya are okay with that, right?”
“I’m fine with it.”
“Ah~ I see. Yeah, I’d like that too.”
“E, eating together…”
“You don’t have to hold back. Besides… don’t we have something to talk about?”
“Ugh…!”
Melissa’s face turned pale.
She probably thinks she’s going to be interrogated because her secret was found out.
“Hehehehehe…”
Noah was smiling very mischievously.
She’s enjoying Melissa’s reaction.
Don’t worry, Melissa.
Noah was the first to agree to me creating a harem.
Moreover, Noah was the one who was planning the harem before me…
But I didn’t say anything because Melissa, who had turned a little pale, was pitiful and cute.
“Hey, mister! Do you have any recommended dishes here?”
Noah shouted to Tomer.
“If you’re looking for something to cure a hangover, we have that.”
“Then that’s it! Five servings, please!”
And we sat down and had breakfast together.
Melissa was completely nervous and ate silently.
“Um… Melissa, was it?”
While we were eating, Elsie spoke to Melissa.
“Yes! Wh, why?”
“Are you okay? You don’t look well… If you’re hurt or in pain, I can heal you.”
Elsie was genuinely worried about Melissa, completely oblivious.
Melissa shook her head and declined Elsie’s offer.
“I’m, I’m okay! I’m not hurt!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes!”
“Elsie~ let’s eat.”
“Ah, okay.”
Noah, still grinning mischievously, spoke to Elsie and then looked at Melissa.
“Ugh…!”
Isn’t Melissa feeling like she’s sitting on pins and needles right now?
Noah was looking at Melissa with the same eyes he uses when teasing Elsie.
I understand how she feels, but staring too much wouldn’t be good for Melissa’s mental health.
“Noah, let’s eat too.”
“Ehehe~ Okay!”
“Hehe.”
Noah smiled brightly and started eating again, and Ninya was watching us with a small smile.
And after we finished eating.
“Okay, we’ve had a good meal, so now…”
Noah pointed her index finger up and said.
“Let’s talk together on the second floor for a bit♪”
“Yes…”
Melissa squeezed her hair tightly.
